New Guinea impatiens plant named `Balcelvago`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Balcelavgo`, characterized by its dark lavender-colored flowers; floriferousness; upright and mounded plant habit; medium plant size; vigor; good basal branching; and dark green leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `Balcelavgo`.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop new cultivars with excellent basal branching,medium upright growth habit, numerous large flowers, and interestingflower and foliage colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of theImpatiens hawkeri cultivar `Moorea`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.9,147, as the male, or pollen parent, with the proprietary Impatienshawkeri selection BFP-685, as the female, or seed parent. The cultivar`Balcelavgo` was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environmentin Arroyo Grande, Calif., in December, 1996. Plants of the new Impatiensdiffer from plants of `Moorea` primarily in flower color as plants of`Moorea` have white colored flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atArroyo Grande, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this newImpatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Balcelavgo`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Balcelavgo` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Relatively large dark lavender-colored flowers; freely flowering.

2. Upright and mounded plant habit.

3. Medium plant size; vigorous.

4. Good basal branching.

5. Dark green leaves.

The new Impatiens can be compared to the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar`Aruba`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,456. However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Arroyo Grande, Calif., plants ofthe new Impatiens differ from plant of the cultivar Aruba in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens are shorter and not as broad as plants ofthe cultivar `Aruba`.

2. Lower leaf surfaces of plants of the new Impatiens are green in colorwhereas lower leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar `Aruba` are maroonin color.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of thecultivar `Aruba`.

A detailed comparison of plants of the cultivar `Balcelavgo` and thecultivar `Aruba` appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photographcomprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of `Balcelavgo`.Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may appear different thanthe actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar `Balcelavgo` has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations,measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in 10-cm pots inArroyo Grande, Calif., under commercial practice in a glass-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures abotu 20 to 22° C., night temperaturesabout 18 to 20° C., and light levels generally about 2,500 to 3,000footcandles.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Balcelavgo`.

Parentage:

Male parent.--Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Moorea`, disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 9,147.

Female parent.--Proprietary Impatiens hawkeri selection BFP-685.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--About 7 days at 18° C.

Time to develop roots.--About 21 days at 18° C.

Rooting habit.--Fibrous, fine, freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.--Upright and mounded; medium plant size; vigorous.Appropriate for 10 and 12.5-cm containers.

Growth and branching habit.--Good basal branching with about five toseven lateral branches at the base, dense and bushy growth. Pinching,that is, removal of the terminal apices, is usually not required.

Crop time.--Starting with a rooted cutting, about ten weeks are requiredto produced a finished flowering plant in a 10-cm container.

Plant height.--About 14 to 16 cm.

Plant width.--About 20 to 25 cm.

Lateral branches.--Length: About 11 to 12 cm. Diameter: About 5 to 7 mm.Internode length: About 3 to 4 cm. Color: 183D.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, inwhorls or opposite. Length: About 7 to 8 cm. Width: About 2 to 3 cm.Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Serrate/ciliate. Texture: Slightly rugose; glossy; glabrous. Color:Young foliage, upper surface: 137A. Young foliage, lower surface:Between 148A and 148B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 139A.Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138B. Venation, upper surface:59C. Venation, lower surface: 59B. Petiole: Length: About 5 to 10 mm.Diameter: About 1.5 to 2.5 mm. Color: 183D.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Dark lavender-colored flowers. Freely andcontinuously flowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually abouteight to ten flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowerspositioned mostly above the foliage and typically face outward toupward. Flowers generally flat and rounded. Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In thegarden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower longevity.--Flowers last about one week depending on temperature,light level, and water status.

Flower size.--Diameter: About 7.3 to 7.5 cm. Depth: About 1 cm.

Flower buds.--Length: About 1.6 to 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape:Elliptic. Color: Close to 80A.

Petals.--Quantity: Five, overlapping. Length: About 3 to 4 cm. Width:About 5 to 6 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Entire. Texture: Smooth. Color: When opening, upper surface: 81B,iridescent. When opening, lower surface: 81C, iridescent. Fully opened,upper surface: 81C, iridescent. Fully opened, lower surface: 81D,iridescent. Fading to, upper surface: 76A, iridescent.

Spur.--Length: About 5 to 6 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: 183D.

Peduncles.--Length: About 4 to 6 cm. Angle: About 45° to the lateralbranch. Strength: Strong. Color: 183D.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused,filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollencolor: 11B. Gynoecium: Five-loculate fused. Ovary color: 144A.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Impatiens has notbeen observed.

Seed development: Seed production has not been observed.

    ______________________________________                                        CHART A                                                                       CHARACTERISTIC                                                                             `BALCELAVGO` `ARUBA`                                             ______________________________________                                        PLANT HEIGHT About 14 to 16 cm                                                                          About 19 to 21 cm                                   PLANT WIDTH  About 20 to 25 cm                                                                          About 30 to 35 cm                                   STEM COLOR   183D         187A                                                LEAF COLOR,  139A         136A                                                UPPER SURFACE                                                                 LEAF COLOR,  138A         187A                                                LOWER SURFACE                                                                 PETIOLE LENGTH                                                                             About 5 to 10 mm                                                                           About 2 to 2.5 cm                                   PETIOLE COLOR                                                                              183D         Between 59C and 185A                                FLOWER DIAMETER                                                                            About 7.3 to 7.5 cm                                                                        About 6 to 6.5 cm                                   SPUR COLOR   183D         185A                                                PETAL COLOR, 81C, iridescent                                                                            78A                                                 FULLY OPENED,                                                                 UPPER SURFACE                                                                 PETAL COLOR, 81D, iridescent                                                                            78B                                                 FULLY OPENED,                                                                 LOWER SURFACE                                                                 PETAL COLOR, 76A, iridescent                                                                            78B                                                 FADING TO                                                                     PEDUNCLE COLOR                                                                             183D         185A                                                ______________________________________                                    

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named `Balcelavgo`, as illustrated and described.